European animals brutally slaughtered in Gaza

Published 04/03/2015

Our Investigations Unit has uncovered horrifying treatment of European animals transported across one of the most dangerous and volatile border crossings in the world – the Kerem Shalom border from Israel to Gaza.

Live exports to Gaza (Censored)

Contains scenes of an upsetting nature, but does not include any graphic footage or show any slaughter

Live exports to Gaza (Uncensored version)

Contains scenes of an upsetting nature, including graphic footage of slaughter

Their most shocking discoveries were at a Gazan slaughterhouse, where they witnessed European cattle slaughtered in utter chaos. Cattle were repeatedly stabbed in the throat whilst fully conscious, some taking minutes to collapse and die.

Our team documented Hungarian and Romanian cattle on farms in Gaza in filthy, barren pens with no bedding. In one pen, a sick European calf was abandoned to die a lonely, slow and painful death. The farmers said that she would not receive any veterinary treatment.

Israeli government records show that tens of thousands of Hungarian and Romanian cattle crossed the border from Israel into Palestinian Territories to be slaughtered last year. Once EU animals leave the Union’s borders, they are no longer protected under EU law.

Pru Elliott, our Campaigns Officer said: “It is totally unacceptable for EU animals to be sent to face such cruel deaths. It is in breach of European law which requires the EU and the Member States, to “pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals”.

Saqib Mohammed, CEO of the Halal Food Authority said: “The slaughter practices revealed by the footage are absolutely shocking, disgraceful and abhorrent... This method of killing is a sheer breach of welfare requirements of halal slaughter.”